Improved bread and vegetable slicer



5mm Caz/fa,

JWA a; 639, I Fix/51min] 1502.3, MM.

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O-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON D O yet UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SOLOMON E. BLAKE, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVED BREAD AND VEGETABLE SLICER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45.689, dated January 3, 1865.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SOLOMON E. BLAKE, of the city and county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Slicing iread and Vegetables; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of said bread and vegetable slicer. Fig. 2 represents a top view of the same.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A represent the supports ofthe machine on which the table or bed B rests, the latter supporting the sides 0 D of the box into which the articles to be sliced are placed. The side 0 is permanently secured to the table B, but the side D is laterally adjustable thereon, so as to adjust the width of the box according to the size of the articles which are placed therein. For this purpose I secure the side I) to guide-pieces a which are dovetailed in suitable grooves of the table B, in which they can slide, and I use a screw-shaft, E, which works in a standard, F, of the table and whose inner end is swiveled in the side D. Thus, by turning the screw-shaft D, the side D is moved transversely to or from the stationary side 0, and I thus increase or decrease the width of the box.

G represents a revolving cutter or slicer. It is made in an eccentric shape, as represented in Fig. 1, for the purpose of causing it to operate with a draw cut, which, as is well known, is the most efl'ectual and easy method of cutting, and which is absolutely necessary if a clean and sharp cut is desired in cutting soft substances, such as bread or vegetables. The knife G is secured to the the shaft II, which runs in the hearing I and in a hearing within the shield K. It may be operated by a crank attached directly to its end or to the shaft of a pinion, L, which meshes with the pinion M on the cuttershaft H.

K represents a shield which protects the operator against being injured by the revolving cutter. It is in the shape of a half-circle of a radius a trifle larger than the greatest radius of the cutter-blade, so that the point of the latter shall in revolving remain inside the edge of the shield. The knife G is adjusted on its shaft in such a manner as to operate in as close proximity to the shield K as a free operation will permit, and the operator is thus effectually protected. The shield may be extended downward to the floor on which the machine rests, and thus serves as a central support to the same.

N represents the feedblock, by means of which the article to be sliced is fed, after each cut, a length which is equal to the thickness of the slices to be made. The block N is secured to the sliding rack 0 by means of the piece b, which passes through the slot 0 of the table B, and thus serves as a guide to insure a rectilinear motion of the block N. The outer end of the rack 0 passes through the support A and is held by it in its true position.

P represents a cam, which is secured to the shaft H by means of the set-screw at. Its position can be adjusted thereon longitudinally and it can be secured in any desired position by means of said set-screw. The cam lever Q is pivoted at g to the lower side of the table 1-3, and has the pawl R pivoted to its inner end. The pawl Bis pressed against the teeth of the rack O by-the action of the spring S, and when the shaft H is turned the cam P at each revolution strikes the outer end of the lever Q, which latter feeds the rack 0 and block N forward a certain length equal to the thickness into which the bread is to be sliced, and when the cam P releases or has passed the end of the lever Q the recoil spring h springs the outer end of the lever Q back, to bring it in proper position for the next stroke.

The length of stroke of lever Q and pawl 1t, and, consequently, the length of the feed, can be readily adjusted by adjusting the cam l longitudinally on its shaft H, and then securing it in the desired position by means of setscrew d.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The length of feed of the rack 0 having been properly adjusted, the bread or vegetables to be sliced are inserted into the box formed by the sides 0 D. The screwshaft E is then turned so as to bring the side D in contact with the bread, to prevent the latter from moving while being sliced, and the shaft H is then turned by means of crank T, and the maness and of an even and smooth out, which can never be attained in cutting by hand. In

7 hotels, where largequantities of bread are sliced daily, thisinachine will be particularly of great advantage, as there the saving in labor is a large item, and the slices in their uniform size and smooth out, when served at the table, add to make them attractive.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what I claim herein as new, and desire tosecure by Letters'Patent, is-

1. The combination of the eccentric slicer G, adjustable feed-box, feed block N, and rack 0, when constructed and operated substantially as and. for the purposes described.

2. The combination of the adjustable cam I with lever Q, pawl 1t, rack O, and springs h s, for thevpurpose of adjusting the length of the feed, substantially in the manner herein described.

3. The combination of the lever Q, pawl It, rack O, and rod U, for the purpose of disengagingthe pawl from theratchet, substantially as herein described.

4:. In combination with the revolving eccentric slicer Gr, feed-box, and feed, the protecting shield K, substantially as and for the purposes described.

5. The combination of the revolving slicer, adjustable feed-box, and adjustable feed,when the several devices are constructed and arranged substantially as and fonthe purposes described.

SOLOMON E. BLAKE.

Witnesses:

' Tnos. I-I. DODGE,

J. HENRY HILL. 

